What You Need to Know in A&D — Leonardo CEO Change, Thales Missile Launch

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What You Need to Know in A&D — Leonardo CEO Change, Thales Missile Launch

EUROPE | Aerospace & Defense Electronics EquityMayResearch12, 2026

What You Need to Know in A&D — Leonardo Airbus model Leonardo • •

Avio model modelCEO Change, Thales Missile Launch •

BAE Systems MTU model • •

RENK modelIn this document, we present the key news impacting the European A&D sector. model •

Today, we explore: FT reports former Leonardo CEO removed on Michelangelo • CSG model • Rheinmetall

Dassault model •Dome concerns, and Thales & ArianeGroup announce success of FLP-t missile Aviation model Rolls-Royce •

Hensoldt model modellaunch. •

Safran model •

Leonardo (Hold): FT reports former CEO removed on Michelangelo Dome concerns Thales model •

The FT reported on Monday that Leonardo's former CEO Roberto Cingolani's strategy unsettled

Italy's defense establishment, according to people familiar with the company, while the

"Michelangelo Dome" project prompted concerns from US & European officials. Officials in Europe

supposedly questioned Leonardo's direction given parallel efforts to coordinate missile defense.

While, according to those briefed on conversations, US officials raised concerns to the Italian

ambassador, seeing the dome as a potential challenge to US systems. The article notes a number

of other concerns: 1) Mr Cingolani's critics said he was too focused on the outer frontiers of

technology, and needed to focus on expanding existing capabilities, such as "drones, ammunition,

and platforms - whether for land or air". 2) The JV with Baykar on UAVs drew criticism for binding

Leonardo to a politically sensitive partner in Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as well as

doubts over delivery timelines. 3) The Rheinmetall land vehicles JV fed concerns Italy was giving